Depending on what Switch games you play and where and how you play them, you may not need every accessory on this list. But just about any Switch owner will benefit from at least some combination of these add-ons, so take a look and see which could make your gaming life more convenient or secure. And, since many of them are relatively affordable, they’re worthwhile investments for you and your family’s entertainment. The sleek wireless accessory with its larger size and textured handles feels comfortable and natural to grip in adult hands. Taking a lot of cues from the Xbox’s beloved controller design, all the buttons and analog sticks are easy to reach and satisfying to use. Overall, it’s built to a high standard of quality, durable enough to withstand being knocked around by even the rowdiest of households. The Pro Controller comes with a USB-C to USB-A charging cable, but with an excellent 40-hour listed battery life, you can play for long stretches before needing to plug it in. You also don’t lose out on the extra functionality touches of the Joy-Cons, namely the built-in motion controls and the ability to scan amiibo figures and cards. One downside is the controller’s relatively high price tag, but it’s worth the cost for any gamer looking to sit down at the Switch for longer sessions. In particular, they upgrade the very hard-to-reach SL and SR shoulder buttons into full triggers that are much easier on the fingers. They also come with six thumb grip caps for the joysticks, some in larger sizes to suit your preferences. A game-changer for couch co-op games, the FastSnail Grips are made of smooth, soft, wear-resistant rubber that you can securely snap the Joy-Cons in and out of. The fact that they protect the controllers while keeping our hands comfortable is just an added bonus. They’re also available in a variety of colors (to match the official color combinations of the Joy-Cons themselves) and are a great value for the price. The more resilient and scratch-resistant tempered glass material is slightly thicker than simple plastic screen protectors, but it’s still ultra-thin at 0.3mm and doesn’t interfere with touchscreen functions. Screen protectors of any kind can be tricky to apply, but the amFilm protectors come with instructions and tools to help make the process painless. Some users have reported issues with air bubbles appearing during application, so even though many were able to eventually fix the bubbling, it can be handy that the package ships as a set of three to provide a backup option. The Hori Compact Playstand solves that issue. The lightweight plastic stand elevates your Switch so you can set it down on a surface, plug in a power cord, and play it anywhere without running out of battery. Effortless to set up, the Hori Compact Playstand offers three viewing angles at 30, 50, and 60 degrees, though it does need to be on a flat surface to work properly. When you’re not using it, you can fold it down for storage, making it small enough to toss into any backpack, carry-on, or messenger bag. The case’s outer shell is built with a durable ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) material that protects contents from the elements, while at the same time keeping everything scratch-free with a soft inner lining. The console fits snugly inside, even with most types of snap-on casings already on it. There are also slots for eight Switch game cards, along with an interior pocket to hold small peripherals such as extra Joy-Cons and cables or headphones (but not the dock or any pro controllers). Finally, the wide assortment of available colors lets you transport your Switch with both security and style to match your personality. Designed with road trips in mind, this cable has plenty of range for most vehicles, meaning whether you’re crushing the game in the passenger seat or in the back seat, there’s always enough range for a jump when you need it. This is a must-have product for anyone looking to hit the road with their Nintendo Switch, which typically has a battery life in the range of 2.5 to 9 hours on its own. While the Hori is officially licensed for the Nintendo Switch, this cable can also charge a variety of phones and tablets that charge via USB-C. This makes it the best portable car charger for the price. The PowerA dock charges through a USB-A cable, which you can connect to your own charging block and plug into the wall, or plug directly into the Switch dock itself. It’s backed by the Nintendo brand as an officially licensed product, though we wish more varied color options were available, especially given the variety in Joy-Con colors today. The console docks easily and securely into it, and its 6,000mAh battery capacity can almost double how long the system will last before a charge. When you do need to power up, you can keep the Switch in and just plug it in—it will first charge the console itself, and then the case battery. A downside of the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch’s big battery is that it makes the device pretty hefty, but it should still be just fine for most adults to hold. The grips add comfort and ergonomics that make longer play sessions more manageable. It also has a kickstand for tabletop mode. You can then detach the rubber handgrips on either side and put them together as a single connected Joy-Con grip. Its modest, slim design ensures the Route Air Pro doesn’t interfere with the Switch during use, and its low latency means you’ll enjoy smooth, clean high-quality audio without lag. It’s not a dealbreaker, but there’s no passthrough port. This is a little annoying, forcing you to choose between charging the Switch or using the adapter and your headset. Essentially any microSD card can work with the Switch, but it’s hard to go wrong with SanDisk and its well-earned reputation for developing reliable memory cards. The SanDisk Ultra 128 MicroSDXC memory card has fast A1-rated performance that’s ideal for loading and playing games and apps. We’ve found that 128GB of storage is often a nice combination of size and value for most casual players, but SanDisk also offers microSD cards ranging from 200 GB to 1TB for the most die-hard needs. Emily Isaacs is a Chicago-based technology writer who’s been teaming up with Lifewire since 2019. Her areas of expertise include video games, consumer technology, and gadgets. She also uses the Best Controller pick and the Best Expansion pick on this list daily. Alan Bradley is an experienced tech editor and journalist with more than twelve years of experience in the industry. He specializes in gaming and console technology and accessories, and his byline has appeared in a number of top publications, from Rolling Stone to Paste Magazine. Alex Williams has been writing about tech for more than five years now and has extensively covered video games and console hardware. He also has experience with UX design and front-end web development and is a certified full-stack web developer.
What to Look for in Nintendo Switch Accessories
Ease of use - Many of the accessories in the Switch ecosystem require installation of some kind, whether it’s as simple as grips for your Joy-Cons or as complicated as a new hardware shell. The best of them will be easy to install and come packaged with clear, concise instructions that even the most novice user can follow. Utility - The rampant success of the Switch means the market is flooded with add-ons looking to ride Nintendo’s coattails. A lot of these extras add little to nothing to the Switch experience and some, instead of being welcome conveniences, can actually make the Switch more difficult/annoying to use. Consider your actual use case before picking up any accessory. Price - While one of the cheaper consoles currently available, the Switch is still a fairly hefty investment, and the games are another price sink that can get pretty steep (especially with the way Nintendo games very rarely go on sale or get discounted over time). Accessories shouldn’t also represent a huge spend, and luckily you can find a lot of them at very reasonable, consumer-friendly prices. Be sure to shop alternatives before you pull the trigger on any accessory.
